Job Openings and Labor Turnover: August 2023

Historical release narrative reproduced from the official public-domain source. Statistical tables, standard technical appendices, administrative material and attendance rosters are omitted; formatting is adapted for reading. Figures retain the release's historical context and may have been revised. Consult the linked source for the complete document.

The number of job openings increased to 9.6 million on the last business day of August, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Over the month, the number of hires and total separations changed little at 5.9 million and 5.7 million, respectively. Within separations, quits (3.6 million) and layoffs and discharges (1.7 million) changed little. This release includes estimates of the number and rate of job openings, hires, and separations for the total nonfarm sector, by industry, and by establishment size class.

Job Openings

On the last business day of August, the number and rate of job openings increased to 9.6 million (+690,000) and 5.8 percent, respectively. Over the month, job openings increased in professional and business services (+509,000), finance and insurance (+96,000), state and local government education (+76,000), nondurable goods manufacturing (+59,000), and federal government (+31,000). (See table 1.)

Hires

In August, the number of hires changed little at 5.9 million and the rate was unchanged at 3.7 percent. The number of hires changed little in all industries. (See table 2.)

Separations

Total separations include quits, layoffs and discharges, and other separations. Quits are generally voluntary separations initiated by the employee. The quits rate can serve as a measure of workers’ willingness or ability to leave jobs. Layoffs and discharges are involuntary separations initiated by the employer. Other separations include separations due to retirement, death, disability, and transfers to other locations of the same firm.

The number of total separations in August was little changed at 5.7 million, and the rate was unchanged at 3.6 percent. Over the month, the number of total separations increased in accommodation and food services (+105,000) but decreased in information (-41,000) and federal government (-8,000). (See table 3.)

In August, the number of quits changed little at 3.6 million and the rate was unchanged at 2.3 percent. The number of quits increased in accommodation and food services (+88,000); finance and insurance (+28,000); state and local government, excluding education (+21,000); and arts, entertainment, and recreation (+18,000). The number of quits decreased in information (-30,000). (See table 4.)

In August, the number of layoffs and discharges changed little at 1.7 million, and the rate held at 1.1 percent. The number of layoffs and discharges decreased in state and local government, excluding education (-39,000), but increased in state and local government education (+27,000). (See table 5.)

The number of other separations was little changed in August at 357,000. (See table 6.)

Establishment Size Class

In August, the layoffs and discharges rate for establishments with 1 to 9 employees decreased. Job openings, hires, and total separations rates were little changed for establishments with 5,000 or more employees. (See table 7.)